Not Alone
by fiddlestixox
Summary: Clara Archebald has been alone for a long time. Far too long. But, that all changes when she comes across a certain crossbow-weilding hunter in the middle of the walker-infested woods. Soon enough she finds herself introduced to a group with steady food and water supply, and a roof over their heads. But what will happen when the thick walls and fences just arent enough?
1. Chapter 1 (12-01 03:19:53)

Chap. 1

Her lungs burned as she sprinted through the thick woods, dodging trees, ducking under branches and leaping over fallen logs. The harsh, raspy snarls of the dead could be heard right on her tail. She could even make out the nashing of rotting teeth behind her. She took a brief moment, not bothering to look as she swung hard with her branch-turned-club, then took off running once more.

She dodged left, ducked, dodged right, jumped. Her feet pounded against the ground just as hard as her heart pounded against her ribcage. A hand grabbed hold of her ankle and sent her falling to the ground. She kicked and screamed, beating at the decomposed remains of a man crushed under a log.

Out of nowhere, the tip of an arrow stuck through its eye and the grip went limp. She kicked its hand away and crawled back, panting heavily as she got back to her feet and staring in shock as a man with a bow took down the rest of the herd with a knife. She snapped into action, taking down three from behind her.

They both stood in silence, staring at each other over the pile of corpses around them. Then, slowly, she reached into the bag at her hip and pulled out a jack rabbit, holding it out for him. "Its fresh. Caught it this morning before I was overrun." She said softly.

He stared back at her for a moment, letting out a sigh and shaking his head

"Keep it. You need it more than I do." He replied. She nodded, setting it back in her bag.

"Then... Thanks." She said, glancing around her. "I would've been screwed if you hadn't shown up." She added, taking a moment to breath before turning around to continue on her way.

"Hey wait..." He called out. She turned back to him. "You alone?" He asked. She nodded. "You got a camp?" She shook her head. He nodded once, clearly awaiting an explanation.

"I was with a group. My family, and some neighbours. But a big herd hit and we were separated. When I got back they were..." She stopped, shaking her head and letting out a slow breath before continuing. "Ive been alone all winter."

He nodded again, then fell silent once more. Clearly he was contemplating something. She did her best to look ad unthreatening as possoble, despite her iron grip on the piece of branch in her hand. "Alright... How many walkers have you killed?"

She thought for a second. "23."

"How many people have you killed?"

She shook her head. "None."

"Why?"

She went quiet for a moment. "Because I haven't been around any long enough. I dont fight humans. Don't risk it. I run. I hide. You're the first I've come across for two months who exchanged more than three words with me."

He was quiet for a moment as if thinking. "Alright, come with me." He said, pulling arrows out of skulls as he walked past her. She didnt hesitate, adjusting her bag and following close. Afterall, what other choice did she have?

They traveled in silence for about an hour. She asked no questions. Frankly, shed been alone for months. She was just happy to have someone else around who wasnt outright after the taste of her flesh. Soon enough, they came across a wide open space and the prison came into view. "Stay close." He said. "We gotta get to that gate. They'll open it for us. Keep up."

She nodded, taking a breath to prepare as he took off in a light, but silent jog. She kept up easily enough, stopping every few moments to take down a walker before catching up to him. He whistled and the gate slowly opened. They both rushed through and she wiped blood off her cheek.

Once they were behind the gate, she lowered her branch, knowing that she was in their territory and it wasnt particularly smart to make herself look threatening. She gave a small, shy smile and a nod of greeting to the two operating the gate. The man with the bow, she still hadnt gotten his name, stepped aside with one of them, speaking softly so she couldnt make out what they said.

A moment later, the other man walked up to her and held out his hand. "Im Rick Grimes. Daryl here seems to think that you're worth trusting enough to have you join our group. Is he right?" He asked. She nodded, set down her branch and took his hand.

"Clara Archebald." She replied. "I was alone, have been for awhile. I swear I mean no harm. Ill help out around here, pull my own weight... If you let me stay, I promise i wont make you regret it." She said sincerely. "I can fight, I grew up on a farm, so I have a lot of knowledge about crops, and my uncle used to take me out hunting. And I wont take up much for resources." She glanced down at her slender frame. She spent all winter eating very little.

Rick nodded. "Alright then, Clara, Welcome to the group." He said, giving her a smile. He looked at the tall black woman on the other side of the gate contraption. "Can you introduce her to the group? Set her up with a room?" The woman nodded and Clara smiled, giving a nod of thanks.

Clara followed the woman, who had introduced herself as Michonne, into the prison. After a brief introduction to some of the other people, Clara was set up in a prison cell. She sat silently on the bed, trying to process what'd happened. She'd have been dead if Daryl hadnt been there. Now shes sat on a safe, secure bed, with people, and food!

She stared at the closed gate, which had been shut and locked for safety, since she was new. She couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of relief. After peeling off her boots and laying flat on her back on the soft nattress, she quickly fell into the first deep sleep she'd had in what had felt like forever.


	2. Chapter 2

Chap 2.

She awoke suddenly to the harsh clicks of her cell being opened. She sat up carefully, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and meeting the kind-looking gaze of a woman. "May I come in?" She asked. Clara nodded and moved her legs off the bed so she'd have a place to sit.

"My name's Carol." She said, slowly sitting on the bed beside her. "Daryl said you seemed to be in pretty rough shape. He wasn't lying." She said with a small smile. It wasnt an unkind remark, but more of a friendly tease. Clara smiled too. "Are you injured anywhere?" She asked. "We can get Hershel to have a look at you?"

Clara placed a hand on her torso. "I uhm... I fell out of a tree a few days ago. Its not much more than a scrape, but I think it was pretty deep and uhm... I can't get it to stop bleeding." She said, showing the woman a blood-covered bandage.

The woman nodded. "Alright, how about we get you cleaned up, get you into some clean clothes. You can come on back here and we'll take you to Hershel. Okay?" She suggested. She seemed so kind, so maternal. How could Clara say no? So, she nodded softly and got to her feet.

Carol got Clara a new set of clothes, some bath supplies, showed her how to use the showers, then left her to her own devices. Clara cleaned up quickly, relishing the feeling of genuinely clean, before returning to the cell.

She only sat there for a few moments before she heard a light knock on the doorframe. She addressed the knocker, an older man with white hair and a beard to match. He gave her a kind smile. "Hello." He greeted. Clara smiled a little in return. "This'll probably be easiest for you if you lay down." He said. So, she did.

He peeled back the old bandage, making her wince visibly. "I'm not sure of its infected or not. I haven't really checked it since before I arrived." She told him. "I uhm... I fell out of a tree. I wasnt bit or scratched by anything. Just tree branches." She added, knowing what happens to people who get bit.

Hershel nodded, doing his best to be gentle as he inspected the wound. "Well, it is a little infected. And you will need stitches." He admitted. "But, we'll clean it up, and as long as you keep it clean, and don't strain yourself much over the next few days, you should be just fine."

Clara smiled a little and nodded. "Thank you... Sir." She said, wincing again as he removed the bandage entirely and started cleaning it. She held on tightly to the side of the bedframe, doing her best to keep a brave face.

Hershel smiled. "Hershel will do just fine." He told her. "And you're Clara, right?" He added. She nodded in return, biting her lip to keep her eyes from watering. "Will it help to talk, do you think?" He asked. "Might as well keep your mind off it, get to know each other a little." Once again she managed a smile and nod.

"Well... My name is Clara Archebald to start." She said, doing her best to ignore the pain, and keep still. "I uhm... I was in the middle of a group of Deads when Uhm... Daryl found me." She explained. "I wouldve been dead along with 'em if he hadnt shown up when he did..." She trailed off, hissing a little as he dabbed alcohol on her wound.

Hershel nodded lightly. "So you were alone? That must've been hard. How long were you out there?" He asked. He was being as gentle as he could with her, she could tell. So she tried her best to mask her wincing and bite back her whimpers.

"September." She replied, keeping her eyes focused on the bottom of the bunk above her. "I was with a group before then but... I lost them..." She said softly, wincing again as he started pulling the needle through her skin. "Ive been alone since."

Hershel nodded sadly. "Im sorry to hear that." He said, sounding sincere. "Well, you're not alone anymore. We all talked things over while you were asleep. You're more than welcome to stay. Daryl made quite a case for you." He said with a small smile. "Once you get healed up, im sure we'll be able to find a job for you."

Clara smiled in return. She didnt think she had ever felt so welcome. Anywhere. "Thank you." She said softly. "I'll want to get working as soon as I'm able. I want to be able to earn my keep." She insisted, sitting up slowly as soon as he'd finished the bandage.

He chuckled a little and nodded. "Of course. But, for now, just try to take it easy. Get to know the group, learn your way around. We'll get you well fed and rested, then well see about how you can contribute."

Clara smiled softly, nodding. Soon enough he was done and she was left to rest. She laid back down on her bed, staring at the ceiling for awhile. Soon enough, when she was able to ignore the pain, she slipped off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Clara was awoken by a tapping on the bars of her cell. Startled, she sprung up, the knife she kept in her boot was clenched tightly in her hand, aimed at the intruder before she realized where she was. "Daryl." She said softly, clearing her throat and putting the knife away. "Sorry..."

Daryl just shrugged. "Can't blame ya for defending yourself. C'mon. Dinner." She nodded, leaving her knife behind as she stood to follow him.

Dinner was held outside. There was a nice little shelter over a BBQ, some food storage, and a set of long cafeteria tables set out in the sun. Whatever they'd made smelled amazing. Carol greeted her with a warm smile, patting the spot beside her. So, Clara sat. Daryl took the spot beside Clara.

Once everyone was seated, food was passed around the table. Real food. Rich stew, bread, fruit, fresh veggies, there was even a salad! Clara could barely believe her eyes. It took everything she had not to dig in and inhale everything on her plate, but she restrained herself. She ate slowly and enjoyed every bite. If she rushed, she would surely make herself sick.

A few minutes into the meal, Carol looked at her and smiled. "Must've been quite awhile since you've had a proper meal hey?" She asked. "Rick said you've been alone for awhile, but he didn't say much more. How long were you out there?" Her tone was light, conversational. But Clara knew better. She knew the hidden interrogational meaning behind the questions. She also knew that most of the others present would be curious as well.

"Well..." She said, setting down her bun. "I started out in a group last summer but... Our camp was hit by a big herd of Rotters last September. I was out collection firewood..." She glanced down at her plate, falling silent for a moment before shaking her head lightly, looking back at Carol. "I've been alone since."

It was the Korean who'd been at the gate when she arrived that spoke next. "How'd you survive it? Being on your own that long?" He asked, then went a little pink. "No offence of course you just... You don't really..."

She just laughed at his flustered state. "I don't seem like the type who's strong enough to last a week out there, nevermind a full winter?" She finished for him. "Honestly, I thought the same thing. But, I learned to accept what I can and can't do. I know I'm small, and not very strong, so I depend on my agility and speed. My aim isn't that great, so I use something like a big branch or a frying pan or something like that. I'm only one person, so I can't exactly keep watch and sleep at the same time so... I started sleeping in trees." She shrugged lightly. "It wasn't exactly a comfortable living but... Im still alive."

A little blue-eyed blonde girl spoke next. Clara was pretty sure her name was Beth. "Must've gotten lonely out there." She said softly. "All alone for months like that? Did ya ever run across anyone else before Daryl? No chance to join a different group?" The brunette between Beth and Glenn, Maggie, gave Beth a look like she may have said something out of line. But Clara just smiled.

"Well, I've seen a few others but... One of the benefits of spending most of you time in trees is that it gives you plenty of time to listen before anyone else gets a chance to spot you." She replied. "Anyone who's stumbled across my path just hasn't seemed trustworthy enough to risk it." She looked at Daryl with a bit of a smile. "Truth be told if I hadn't been so clumsy and if Daryl hadnt stepped in when he did, I'd either be still out there alone, or dead."

Daryl finally spoke. "You were hurt." He stated. He barely lifted his head when he glanced at her. "Sure didn't act like it. How'd it happen? Was it a Walker?" Hershel or Carol must've mentioned something about it. She couldn't help but wonder if he sounded just a little concerned.

She absently placed a hand over the gauze on her torso. "Yeah, it was uhm... Well, I fell out of a tree." She admitted. "That particularly windy night a few days ago? Yeah... Blew me off my perch. Ended up scraped by a particularly sharp branch on my way down. It wasn't too deep, but still. I'm glad I was able to get help when I did. Truth be told, I'd been hopelessly lost for about a week when you found me. I was hoping to stumble upon a road so I could find a town, and some medical supplies. Whether those routers had gotten me then or not, without you jumping in like you did I'd likely have ended up dying of infection with my luck."

Even Daryl couldn't help but huff a laugh at that. It felt good, laughing. Clara felt like she hadn't had a reason to laugh for ever. Yet here it bubbled from her lips without any effort. To think that just a few days ago she'd been counting on squirrels, stale crackers and her own stubborn will just to survive. Now here she was, sharing a meal with a whole group of people, honestly laughing.

"So what else can you do?" Rick asked, turning her attention to him. "Besides climb and fall out of trees." His comment held no malice. Instead, his lips curved in a well-meant smile and his tone held a friendly, teasing humour. If anything it just made her feel more at home.

She laughed once more. "Well, I can hunt. I'm not the best, but it's kept me alive at least. I mentioned before that my aim isn't the best so I mostly rely on trapping. Which, I'll admit, I've gotten pretty good at over the past few months. I've never really had issues with runs into towns. I'm quick enough that I can usually sneak by both... Walkers..." she had to test the term on her tongue. "... And other people. I know my plants! Actually for awhile, before all this happened, I read a lot about scavenging in the wild. What's edible, what can be used for medicinal purposes, what will kill you, that sort of thing. And... My grandparents lived on a farm and I used to spend every summer out there so I know a good bit about agriculture." She explained. "Other than that, I'm a pretty quick learner."

She figured it'd be best to be honest, but to highlight the better points. Truth be told, she wanted to stay. She really wanted to stay. So, if she could make them like her, and make herself seem useful, maybe she'd get lucky enough that they'll take her in fully.

Rick smiled, seemingly satisfied with her answer. Carol smiled as well. "How are you with cooking?" She asked. This led on into about another hour of questions and answers. Glenn had asked her about strategies for runs. Hershel had asked her about her knowledge of herbalism. Even Daryl had a few questions about trapping. Eventually, it was Michonne who finally cut in, suggesting that the group should "Let the poor girl get some rest!"

So, Clara was finally allowed to head back to her cell. And rest she did. Within ten minutes she'd taken her boots off, let her hair down, tucked her knife under her pillow, and fallen into a deep sleep once again.


End file.
